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子連れ狼 [Kozure Ookami] #15
Lone Wolf and Cub, Vol. 15: Brothers of the Grass
The legendary saga of Lone Wolf and Cub passes the halfway mark with this stunning volume. Watch as Ogami Itto, the Lone Wolf, comes face-to-face with his arch-enemy, Yagyu Retsudo, in a tale of dark ambition and political intrigue. Witness the tragic tale of the Women of Sodeshi. Stalk alongside a deep-cover ninja as he chases his brother who has fled his station, while a group of shadow warriors prepare for a suicide mission to find a secret gold mine - guarded by the Lone Wolf! America's best-selling graphic novel series continues to gain legions of fans. Don't miss the largest volume of LW&C yet, for the same low price! This volume contains the following stories: The Castle of Women The Women of Sodeshi Brothers of the Grass Five Wheels of the Yagyu Incense for the Living
352 pages, Paperback
Published November 23, 2001
13 people are currently reading
322 people want to read
About the author
Kazuo Koike
562 books292 followersKazuo Koike (小池一夫, Koike Kazuo) was a prolific Japanese manga writer, novelist and entrepreneur.
Early in Koike's career, he studied under Golgo 13 creator Takao Saito and served as a writer on the series.
Koike, along with artist Goseki Kojima, made the manga Kozure Okami (Lone Wolf and Cub), and Koike also contributed to the scripts for the 1970s film adaptations of the series, which starred famous Japanese actor Tomisaburo Wakayama. Koike and Kojima became known as the "Golden Duo" because of the success of Lone Wolf and Cub.
Another series written by Koike, Crying Freeman, which was illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami, was adapted into a 1995 live-action film by French director Christophe Gans.
Kazuo Koike started the Gekika Sonjuku, a college course meant to teach people how to be mangaka.
In addition to his more violent, action-oriented manga, Koike, an avid golfer, has also written golf manga.
Early in Koike's career, he studied under Golgo 13 creator Takao Saito and served as a writer on the series.
Koike, along with artist Goseki Kojima, made the manga Kozure Okami (Lone Wolf and Cub), and Koike also contributed to the scripts for the 1970s film adaptations of the series, which starred famous Japanese actor Tomisaburo Wakayama. Koike and Kojima became known as the "Golden Duo" because of the success of Lone Wolf and Cub.
Another series written by Koike, Crying Freeman, which was illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami, was adapted into a 1995 live-action film by French director Christophe Gans.
Kazuo Koike started the Gekika Sonjuku, a college course meant to teach people how to be mangaka.
In addition to his more violent, action-oriented manga, Koike, an avid golfer, has also written golf manga.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 21, 2021
[9/10]
Finally, an album that doesn’t feel like a motley collection of independent short stories, or like a travelogue through medieval Japan. There’s a theme, there’s continuity, there’s an added layer of plot complexity and there’s important progression for the main storyline. The link to the main plot and the thread that ties each episode together is the concept of ‘grass’ – small, insignificant, anonymous. It’s everywhere, the wind picks up it’s seeds and takes them far away, where new blades will spring up unnoticed. Like grass, the shogun’s spies take residence in distant domains, where they lie low, blend in (sometimes over generations) while they wait for their handler to activate them.
Remember the infamous ‘Yagyu letter’ that Ogami Itto has stolen and then struggled over several albums to decipher, while Rensudo sent literal armies of assassins trying to recover it? This letter is still pushing the story forward.
The Castle of Women
Neither rain, ice nor stormy night will stop the Lone Wolf from his Road to Hell, always pushing that iconic wooden cart carrying his Cub. But people keep trying to bar his way, despite an abysmal track record of successful attempts. They all end up falling under the sharp edge of Ogami Itto’s Dothanuki war sword.
Itto is still baffled when a series of five assassins, all coming from the same feudal domain, challenge him successively to a duel to the death. Each of them will pay one fifth of his usual assassin fee and contribute one fifth of a complicated story about their lord lying to the Shogun and being betrayed in turn by the ‘grass’ – an informer in his own castle.
Ogami Itto kills all five samurai going against him and accepts the challenge to visit the doomed castle, where he has yet another direct confrontation with his Nemesis, Retsudo Yagyu.
The Women of Sodeshi
The Lone Wolf visits a remote, secretive village on the coast of Japan. He finds there a clan of women fishermen living in extreme poverty and singing mournful dirges about their existence and about the absence of their husbands and children. Itto’s visit is not accidental, he is still following the track of the Yagyu letter and the history of the ‘grass’ spies.
Brothers of the Grass
If you see a beautiful woman at the start of a story, you can bet your last dollar something horrible is about to happen to her a few panels later. This particular story is not about the woman, but about her seducer, a fat priest who abuses her sexually, only to be abused himself a few moments later by his Yagyu ‘handlers’, who come to his temple to activate him after many years of an easy life as ‘grass’ .
His masters want the priest to go looking for his brother, another spy and probably the deadliest assassin in the Yagyu employ, who has gone AWOL. The fat priest sets out across the country, thinking back at the deadly training as ‘shibumi’ that his brother received in childhood.
Five Wheels of the Yagyu
From the fat priest we continue to his brother, a master of the ‘five wheels’ concept that trains killers to be emotionless, letting nothing show on their face or in their eyes, singularly dedicated to the pursuit of their victim.
The shibumi tracks down Ogami Itto and proceeds in a different way than the previous unsuccessful killers: instead of a direct confrontation, the shibumi kills from the shadows and only the bystanders or the people that try to help Itto along the way.
The Lone Wolf is hard pressed to bring this shadow ninja out of hiding, but something must be done before more innocents will die.
Incense for the Living
As if we didn’t have enough secret organizations and specialized assassins in the series, we now learn about a new group : an elite squad of expert warriors that renounce all their worldly possessions and family relationships on joining. Immediately, a funeral party and a burial is organized, in which the candidate is interred alive.
After exhumation, he is now a living dead ninja with nothing to lose, devoted to the master who has promised to take care of his family after ‘death’.
Ogami Itto confronts these ninjas with nothing to lose, who have a special talent for acrobatics and mountain climbing, while he is hired to protect a secret silver mine in the high country.
In a further departure from the usual episode structure, this final story ends in a (literal) cliffhanger, making the reading of the next album a priority.
Finally, an album that doesn’t feel like a motley collection of independent short stories, or like a travelogue through medieval Japan. There’s a theme, there’s continuity, there’s an added layer of plot complexity and there’s important progression for the main storyline. The link to the main plot and the thread that ties each episode together is the concept of ‘grass’ – small, insignificant, anonymous. It’s everywhere, the wind picks up it’s seeds and takes them far away, where new blades will spring up unnoticed. Like grass, the shogun’s spies take residence in distant domains, where they lie low, blend in (sometimes over generations) while they wait for their handler to activate them.
Remember the infamous ‘Yagyu letter’ that Ogami Itto has stolen and then struggled over several albums to decipher, while Rensudo sent literal armies of assassins trying to recover it? This letter is still pushing the story forward.
The Castle of Women
Neither rain, ice nor stormy night will stop the Lone Wolf from his Road to Hell, always pushing that iconic wooden cart carrying his Cub. But people keep trying to bar his way, despite an abysmal track record of successful attempts. They all end up falling under the sharp edge of Ogami Itto’s Dothanuki war sword.
Itto is still baffled when a series of five assassins, all coming from the same feudal domain, challenge him successively to a duel to the death. Each of them will pay one fifth of his usual assassin fee and contribute one fifth of a complicated story about their lord lying to the Shogun and being betrayed in turn by the ‘grass’ – an informer in his own castle.
Ogami Itto kills all five samurai going against him and accepts the challenge to visit the doomed castle, where he has yet another direct confrontation with his Nemesis, Retsudo Yagyu.
The Women of Sodeshi
The Lone Wolf visits a remote, secretive village on the coast of Japan. He finds there a clan of women fishermen living in extreme poverty and singing mournful dirges about their existence and about the absence of their husbands and children. Itto’s visit is not accidental, he is still following the track of the Yagyu letter and the history of the ‘grass’ spies.
Brothers of the Grass
If you see a beautiful woman at the start of a story, you can bet your last dollar something horrible is about to happen to her a few panels later. This particular story is not about the woman, but about her seducer, a fat priest who abuses her sexually, only to be abused himself a few moments later by his Yagyu ‘handlers’, who come to his temple to activate him after many years of an easy life as ‘grass’ .
His masters want the priest to go looking for his brother, another spy and probably the deadliest assassin in the Yagyu employ, who has gone AWOL. The fat priest sets out across the country, thinking back at the deadly training as ‘shibumi’ that his brother received in childhood.
Five Wheels of the Yagyu
From the fat priest we continue to his brother, a master of the ‘five wheels’ concept that trains killers to be emotionless, letting nothing show on their face or in their eyes, singularly dedicated to the pursuit of their victim.
The shibumi tracks down Ogami Itto and proceeds in a different way than the previous unsuccessful killers: instead of a direct confrontation, the shibumi kills from the shadows and only the bystanders or the people that try to help Itto along the way.
The Lone Wolf is hard pressed to bring this shadow ninja out of hiding, but something must be done before more innocents will die.
Incense for the Living
As if we didn’t have enough secret organizations and specialized assassins in the series, we now learn about a new group : an elite squad of expert warriors that renounce all their worldly possessions and family relationships on joining. Immediately, a funeral party and a burial is organized, in which the candidate is interred alive.
After exhumation, he is now a living dead ninja with nothing to lose, devoted to the master who has promised to take care of his family after ‘death’.
Ogami Itto confronts these ninjas with nothing to lose, who have a special talent for acrobatics and mountain climbing, while he is hired to protect a secret silver mine in the high country.
In a further departure from the usual episode structure, this final story ends in a (literal) cliffhanger, making the reading of the next album a priority.
November 30, 2017
4 – 4.5 stars
While not perhaps my absolute favourite, this has been a stand-out volume in a series that is excellent from beginning to end. As the volume name implies, most of the stories centre on ‘the Grass’ a clan of Yagyu ninja who are trained as sleeper agents in other hans. In essence they are planted (like grass, get it?) in one of the many regions of Japan and insinuate themselves into its life, marrying, having children, and perhaps dying without ever being ‘activated’, though passing on their mission to their sons until the Yagyu finally make the call and instruct their agent to act. In this way the Yagyu have not only had a ready source of information useful for blackmail and profit throughout Japan, but are able to assassinate key figures whenever they choose.
‘The Castle of Women’: A clan whose lord lied about the gender of his beloved daughter in order to be able to claim her as his heir seek out Itto (testing his mettle with a series of warriors before fully disclosing their fee or requirements) when it becomes apparent that the Yagyu Grass have discovered their secret and plan to use it to dissolve the clan. A series of double and triple crosses ensue until Itto must face down Retsudo himself once again or lose both his life and the Yagyu letter he carries that alone can help bring his quest to a successful conclusion.
‘The Women of Sodeshi’: Itto comes to a strange village solely populated by women and children. They are quick to put off the questions of the ronin who seeks shelter there, but are uniquely captivated by Daigoro, apparently the only male child in the vicinity. It soon comes to light that these women harbour a dark secret, one that Itto hopes will lead him to answers about the mysterious Grass agents of the Yagyu.
‘Brothers of the Grass’: We see that the Grass are not always hardened ninja warriors awaiting the call from their distant masters, some of them find themselves in some very comfortable placements and allow themselves to give in to the pleasures to which they have become accustomed. One such agent has his worst nightmare come true: his Yagyu masters have need of him and he is called into active service. His obvious incompetence as a warrior is of no real concern for them, they truly only want him to help find his brother, another Grass agent that has become a nukenin (basically gone AWOL) who was a master of ‘the Five Wheels of the Yagyu’, a secret technique that they hope is the key to breaking Lone Wolf and Cub and bringing their long feud with Itto to an end.
‘Five Wheels of the Yagyu’: Getsugyoku, the enigmatic Master of the Five Wheels technique, is found by his brother and the Yagyu agents that tasked him with the mission. We soon discover that his mastery of this technique has left him less than human and he is forced to abandon his own quest to rediscover his lost humanity in order to bring the Yagyu vengeance to Ogami Itto. A campaign of terror against Itto ensues and it is up to the wily assassin to discover a way to break the Five Wheels before it turns the entire populace of Japan against him.
‘Incense for the Living’: The one story in the volume not strictly involving the Grass, this one also introduces us to a secret warrior group dedicated to maintaining the status quo for the benefit of their masters at any cost. Yet again a small han finds itself on the wrong end of the stick on account of these secret warriors and they come to Lone Wolf and Cub in the hopes that the assassin can save their clan from disaster. We are left with a literal cliff-hanger as Itto surprises even these elite warriors with his skill, though his predicament leaves him, and the reader, up in the air.
While not perhaps my absolute favourite, this has been a stand-out volume in a series that is excellent from beginning to end. As the volume name implies, most of the stories centre on ‘the Grass’ a clan of Yagyu ninja who are trained as sleeper agents in other hans. In essence they are planted (like grass, get it?) in one of the many regions of Japan and insinuate themselves into its life, marrying, having children, and perhaps dying without ever being ‘activated’, though passing on their mission to their sons until the Yagyu finally make the call and instruct their agent to act. In this way the Yagyu have not only had a ready source of information useful for blackmail and profit throughout Japan, but are able to assassinate key figures whenever they choose.
‘The Castle of Women’: A clan whose lord lied about the gender of his beloved daughter in order to be able to claim her as his heir seek out Itto (testing his mettle with a series of warriors before fully disclosing their fee or requirements) when it becomes apparent that the Yagyu Grass have discovered their secret and plan to use it to dissolve the clan. A series of double and triple crosses ensue until Itto must face down Retsudo himself once again or lose both his life and the Yagyu letter he carries that alone can help bring his quest to a successful conclusion.
‘The Women of Sodeshi’: Itto comes to a strange village solely populated by women and children. They are quick to put off the questions of the ronin who seeks shelter there, but are uniquely captivated by Daigoro, apparently the only male child in the vicinity. It soon comes to light that these women harbour a dark secret, one that Itto hopes will lead him to answers about the mysterious Grass agents of the Yagyu.
‘Brothers of the Grass’: We see that the Grass are not always hardened ninja warriors awaiting the call from their distant masters, some of them find themselves in some very comfortable placements and allow themselves to give in to the pleasures to which they have become accustomed. One such agent has his worst nightmare come true: his Yagyu masters have need of him and he is called into active service. His obvious incompetence as a warrior is of no real concern for them, they truly only want him to help find his brother, another Grass agent that has become a nukenin (basically gone AWOL) who was a master of ‘the Five Wheels of the Yagyu’, a secret technique that they hope is the key to breaking Lone Wolf and Cub and bringing their long feud with Itto to an end.
‘Five Wheels of the Yagyu’: Getsugyoku, the enigmatic Master of the Five Wheels technique, is found by his brother and the Yagyu agents that tasked him with the mission. We soon discover that his mastery of this technique has left him less than human and he is forced to abandon his own quest to rediscover his lost humanity in order to bring the Yagyu vengeance to Ogami Itto. A campaign of terror against Itto ensues and it is up to the wily assassin to discover a way to break the Five Wheels before it turns the entire populace of Japan against him.
‘Incense for the Living’: The one story in the volume not strictly involving the Grass, this one also introduces us to a secret warrior group dedicated to maintaining the status quo for the benefit of their masters at any cost. Yet again a small han finds itself on the wrong end of the stick on account of these secret warriors and they come to Lone Wolf and Cub in the hopes that the assassin can save their clan from disaster. We are left with a literal cliff-hanger as Itto surprises even these elite warriors with his skill, though his predicament leaves him, and the reader, up in the air.
January 23, 2019
While I found an enormous width of fault in Vol 14, Vol. 15 is so enormously stellar that the sins of the past can be readily forgiven (and then some) here.
Evidently repudiating as much as learning from the previous failure(s), coherence is the favored value here. Disdaining the typical expositional approach with its throw-away feel, all the tales here are not just internally connected, but well tethered to the over-arc as a whole. Bound even tighter with a warm emotional resonance that enshrouds not just extraordinarily well-built characters but the world itself, Vol. 15 is a gem to be savored in all its glory.
Anything less than a 5 star is utter blasphemy.
Evidently repudiating as much as learning from the previous failure(s), coherence is the favored value here. Disdaining the typical expositional approach with its throw-away feel, all the tales here are not just internally connected, but well tethered to the over-arc as a whole. Bound even tighter with a warm emotional resonance that enshrouds not just extraordinarily well-built characters but the world itself, Vol. 15 is a gem to be savored in all its glory.
Anything less than a 5 star is utter blasphemy.
August 21, 2020
Halfway there! Pace isn't dropping one bit, and things remain as tense and thrilling as ever. This one had a lot of ninja on the offer.
April 21, 2016
A great volume to kick off the second half of the Lone Wolf and Cub! Volume 15 revolves around loss and sadness, striking each volume at varying types and degrees.
Brothers of the grass' main story revolves around a network of ninja spies (who call themselves as the grass) who have so much obedience and loyalty to the Yagyu that they uphold their mission for generations, entrusting their sworn duty to their sons and grandsons. Well, there are some who have succumbed to earthly joys happiness, like the brothers of the grass.
This is another great book for an already exceptional series. Thirteen more volumes to go!
Brothers of the grass' main story revolves around a network of ninja spies (who call themselves as the grass) who have so much obedience and loyalty to the Yagyu that they uphold their mission for generations, entrusting their sworn duty to their sons and grandsons. Well, there are some who have succumbed to earthly joys happiness, like the brothers of the grass.
This is another great book for an already exceptional series. Thirteen more volumes to go!
June 13, 2022
Otların kardeşliği sanıyorum Yalnız Kurt ve Yavrusu'nun en kalın ciltlerindendi. Uzun zamandır seriyi okumuyordum ve Daigorocuğumu gerçekten özlemişim. Gara gara diyen giden pusetini de :) Her zamanki gibi çizimler ve hikaye olağanüstülükte birbiriyle yarışıyordu. Karakalem bir çizim nasıl bu kadar çok şey hissettirebilir? O yağmur, kar, orman, gölgeler nasıl bu kadar güzel resmedilebilir?
Farklı ciltlerde Yagyu ile gitgide yaklaşıp uzaklaşıyoruz. Bu ciltte yeniden epey yaklaştık. Kadınlar Şatosu oldukça iyi bir hikayeydi. Daha önce Ogami'nin 5 taksit ödeme aldığını hiç görmemiştim. Genelde kişi başı 500 ryo alırdı. Bu sefer 500'e ulaşmak için 5 kişiyi ayrı ayrı biçti. Sodeshi'nin Kadınları inanılmaz acıklıydı. Deniz, yağmur, doğa gerçekten olağanüstüydü. Otların Kardeşliği iyiden iyiye Yagyu ile yolların kesiştiği hikaye. Karakterler ve hikayeler nasıl bu kadar gerçekçi yaratılabilir. Mesela Hayatın Tutkusu'nda yanyana oturan 13 adamın her birinin yüz ifadesi çehresi birbirinden farklı.
Ve 15. ciltte hala soru gizemini koruyor. Ogami Itto her hikayede minimumda aldığı 500 ryo'yu nerede saklıyor?
Bana bu kitap için verecek iki yıldızınız daha yoksa herkese keyifli okumalar!
Farklı ciltlerde Yagyu ile gitgide yaklaşıp uzaklaşıyoruz. Bu ciltte yeniden epey yaklaştık. Kadınlar Şatosu oldukça iyi bir hikayeydi. Daha önce Ogami'nin 5 taksit ödeme aldığını hiç görmemiştim. Genelde kişi başı 500 ryo alırdı. Bu sefer 500'e ulaşmak için 5 kişiyi ayrı ayrı biçti. Sodeshi'nin Kadınları inanılmaz acıklıydı. Deniz, yağmur, doğa gerçekten olağanüstüydü. Otların Kardeşliği iyiden iyiye Yagyu ile yolların kesiştiği hikaye. Karakterler ve hikayeler nasıl bu kadar gerçekçi yaratılabilir. Mesela Hayatın Tutkusu'nda yanyana oturan 13 adamın her birinin yüz ifadesi çehresi birbirinden farklı.
Ve 15. ciltte hala soru gizemini koruyor. Ogami Itto her hikayede minimumda aldığı 500 ryo'yu nerede saklıyor?
Bana bu kitap için verecek iki yıldızınız daha yoksa herkese keyifli okumalar!
June 18, 2021
Lobo Solitario 15
Un par de historias avanzan la historia con los Yagyu, otro par no pero aun así son interesantes.
Me gustaron mucho los dibujos de las lanchas en el mar de la historia del pueblo de mujeres , y la del funeral en vida-
4.12 stars
Un par de historias avanzan la historia con los Yagyu, otro par no pero aun así son interesantes.
Me gustaron mucho los dibujos de las lanchas en el mar de la historia del pueblo de mujeres , y la del funeral en vida-
4.12 stars
July 1, 2019
Provavelmente um dos volumes mais problemáticos que li do "Lobo..." (em séries, atribuo as estrelas ao conjunto), com quase todos os problemas pontuais em outros números: o traçado uniforme das personagens femininas - algo gritante, em se tratando de uma história sobre uma ilha dominada por elas; as interrupções bruscas dos enredos - a última narrativa quase dá a ilusão de que continua no próximo número; sem contar a orelha preguiçosa da Panini, igual a todas as outras - não se deram nem ao trabalho de mudar por ocasião da morte recente do Kazuo Koike (que continua atuando "como mangaká até os dias de hoje").
January 25, 2021
There are complex characters here, which is fairly remarkable considering how briefly they're shown and how brief even these volumes are.
This cover art is still weird - I'm not sure if it's because he's trying to make up faces that aren't shown to that level of detail in the story or whether he's just not good at faces? It's still a step up from the Frank Miller ones, I think, which had weird slightly-off people in the same style of Goseki Kojima.
Still picking a random title from one of the stories.
I wonder about the balance of failure and success of Ogami Itto-dono; in some aspects he's perfect but in others he's failed miserably.
This cover art is still weird - I'm not sure if it's because he's trying to make up faces that aren't shown to that level of detail in the story or whether he's just not good at faces? It's still a step up from the Frank Miller ones, I think, which had weird slightly-off people in the same style of Goseki Kojima.
Still picking a random title from one of the stories.
I wonder about the balance of failure and success of Ogami Itto-dono; in some aspects he's perfect but in others he's failed miserably.
March 28, 2020
Sorprendentemente la historia con la niña pequeña del final del tomo anterior si concluyó ahí. Yo esperaba que el tomo comenzara con Itto haciéndose cargo de Daigoro y la niña pero no hay ni una mención sobre ella.
También la historia del comienzo del tomo es un poco confusa. Aborda mucho el aspecto político del Japón feudal. Al final de ese capítulo puedes comprender un poco el poder de los Yagyu y cómo Itto tendrá que resolver muchas cosas antes de poder ir por Retsudo.
El resto de los capítulos cuentan una historia conectada sobre Retsudo y un nuevo enfrentamiento contra Ogami. Ahora los Yagyu están buscando a un Kasu, un soldado infiltrado de ellos, porque utiliza la técnica de las cinco ruedas que podría acabar con Ogami. El resto de los capítulos es muy emocionante y el enfrentamiento de Ogami contra este Kasu es impresionante. La técnica de las cinco ruedas es una de las historias más tristes y más tensas a mi parecer.
Nuevamente el maestro Koike vuela la pelota de la barda y nos da una historia emotiva, profunda y llena de acción.
También la historia del comienzo del tomo es un poco confusa. Aborda mucho el aspecto político del Japón feudal. Al final de ese capítulo puedes comprender un poco el poder de los Yagyu y cómo Itto tendrá que resolver muchas cosas antes de poder ir por Retsudo.
El resto de los capítulos cuentan una historia conectada sobre Retsudo y un nuevo enfrentamiento contra Ogami. Ahora los Yagyu están buscando a un Kasu, un soldado infiltrado de ellos, porque utiliza la técnica de las cinco ruedas que podría acabar con Ogami. El resto de los capítulos es muy emocionante y el enfrentamiento de Ogami contra este Kasu es impresionante. La técnica de las cinco ruedas es una de las historias más tristes y más tensas a mi parecer.
Nuevamente el maestro Koike vuela la pelota de la barda y nos da una historia emotiva, profunda y llena de acción.
March 27, 2022
The 15th volume of Lone Wolf and Cub is a tight set of related stories about the a band of ninja which were alluded to in previous volumes called the Grass. They are sleeper agents assigned to villages and regions who settle down, take on new identities, and then pass on their training and mission to their sons, waiting to be activated. They kind of steal the show from Ogami and Daigoro in this collection which has a heavy espionage theme to it.
I enjoyed all of these stories, but the two standouts are Brothers of the Grass and Five Wheels of the Yagyu which go together as one particular member of the Grass is activated and sent after Ogami. Duty is a recurring theme for this series, and it is evident here with the tragic and horrific lengths these characters are willing to go for their mission.
I enjoyed all of these stories, but the two standouts are Brothers of the Grass and Five Wheels of the Yagyu which go together as one particular member of the Grass is activated and sent after Ogami. Duty is a recurring theme for this series, and it is evident here with the tragic and horrific lengths these characters are willing to go for their mission.
February 17, 2025
One story from Lone Wolf and Cub Omnibus Volume 6. The rest from Volume 7
The Castle of Women - And yet more of the same with a hint that the Yagyu plot might move a long a little bit soon
The Women of Sodeshi - Ogami Itto tracks down the ninja women. And does what he always does. This adds to the world-building, but I don't expect we'll get back to it.
Brothers of the Grass - Who's left to kill Ogami Itto? A bit more on the ninjas and how they acquired there information. This sets up the next story and the closest Ogami Itto gets to being run to ground.
Five Wheels of the Yagyu - This would have been a stronger story if there had been recurring supporting cast that we cared about. Still good though.
Incense for the Living - More on the extent of how far the secret groups will go. And how it doesn't matter if they go up against Ogami Itto.
3.5 of 5
The Castle of Women - And yet more of the same with a hint that the Yagyu plot might move a long a little bit soon
The Women of Sodeshi - Ogami Itto tracks down the ninja women. And does what he always does. This adds to the world-building, but I don't expect we'll get back to it.
Brothers of the Grass - Who's left to kill Ogami Itto? A bit more on the ninjas and how they acquired there information. This sets up the next story and the closest Ogami Itto gets to being run to ground.
Five Wheels of the Yagyu - This would have been a stronger story if there had been recurring supporting cast that we cared about. Still good though.
Incense for the Living - More on the extent of how far the secret groups will go. And how it doesn't matter if they go up against Ogami Itto.
3.5 of 5
August 13, 2023
Another epic work as Lone Wolf and Cub continue their quest against the Yaygu clan, who are now resorting to employing the deadly ninja known as the Grass to take him out. Koike crafts another brilliant depiction of feudal Japan along with its near mystical take on samurai and ninja. The Grass make for a particularly scary villain, especially with how they try to psychological destroy Ogami Itto. It is matched by Goseki Kojima's crisp and realistic art. One of the best manga series ever.
May 4, 2021
Uzun vadeli plan yapmak ve sabır... Doğrusu yanlışı tartışılır ama bir “Yol’a” %100 bağlılık konusu çok büyük saygı uyandırıyor bende. Kitapta anlatılanları okuduktan sonra Japonların hala kurallara sımsıkı bağlı olmalarını anlamlandırabiliyorum kafamda. Şimdiye kadar okuduklarım arasında beni en çok etkileyen cilt oldu.
February 11, 2023
Ogami Itto che affronta nuove sfide per scoprire il suo prossimo incarico. La presenza dei cinque combattenti e il talismano con i due demoni a guardia del "meifumadô" rendono la trama ancora più avvincente.
Inoltre, l'incontro decisivo tra Ogami Itto e Retsudo Yagyu promette di essere un momento clou della serie e di offrire ulteriore dramma e tensione.
Inoltre, l'incontro decisivo tra Ogami Itto e Retsudo Yagyu promette di essere un momento clou della serie e di offrire ulteriore dramma e tensione.
June 14, 2023
Itto Ogami sigue parco e inmutable ante el peligro. Su mirada cada vez más fría. Quieto y sereno ante la muerte. Daigoro, su hijo, cada vez más grande, cada vez más astuto.
El lobo y su cachorro ahora se enfrentan a esa gran hermandad de los Kusa, ninjas que reciben órdenes de Retsudo Yagyu.
¡Qué tomo, lleno de peligros, de vértigos!
El lobo y su cachorro ahora se enfrentan a esa gran hermandad de los Kusa, ninjas que reciben órdenes de Retsudo Yagyu.
¡Qué tomo, lleno de peligros, de vértigos!
December 29, 2024
More of an ongoing plot. The Yagyu have sleeper cell ninjas called Grass. Ogami Itto encounters them and even does some investigating into their origins. Also, there's a group of mountain climbing warriors who feel they have an advantage over Itto. This sets up characters who could be long term, recurring characters, but nobody survives meeting Itto.
November 25, 2019
Another great volume of a series that continuing to rocket to the top of my list of favorite comics ever. Also, I happened to be reading this at the same time as I was watching the new Star Wars show, The Mandalorian, and couldn't help but see the unattributed influence this comic had on the show.
January 16, 2021
Not great but still very enjoyable filler stories and art as usual. The chapter of the man with no emotions killing innocent people was the most memorable. Might take a break from Lone Wolf and Cub and read Lady Snowblood. Still excited to continue this series.
May 14, 2021
Same as the first. Fantastic art, engaging action stories, not much to the characters. At this point, the series has pushed Ogami Ittō and Daigorō aside in favor of focusing on new secondary characters with each story and is much better for it.
June 24, 2025
This was a fun, very ninja heavy volume. The lack concrete history surrounding allows a lot of creative storytelling to take place, and the "Five Wheels of the Yagyu" probably delivers the most frightening story of the series so far.
April 19, 2018
poniendo el reto al día.
creo que este tomo y concretamente la historia final es lo mejor que tiene que ofrecer, ya que es un acercamiento a una de las tantas asignaciones que cumplían los ninjas en aquel Japón Feudal, la infiltración a modo de ciudadanos comunes. Quizás lo raro sea los que le dan nombre a la serie casi no tuvieron peso argumental aquí.
creo que este tomo y concretamente la historia final es lo mejor que tiene que ofrecer, ya que es un acercamiento a una de las tantas asignaciones que cumplían los ninjas en aquel Japón Feudal, la infiltración a modo de ciudadanos comunes. Quizás lo raro sea los que le dan nombre a la serie casi no tuvieron peso argumental aquí.
July 29, 2018
The rare literal cliffhanger!
August 6, 2020
"The five wheels" got me so excited! First time I saw fear in Itto's face. Damn!
January 24, 2021
What an amazing episode.
July 11, 2021
Artist leans into his own exceptional mood creation and delights in every panel.
May 14, 2025
It just gets better as it goes along.
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